DASMUSICALKAT

I’m back with a new tip, one that is little known but oh so amazing.

Picture this: your last day in Korea and your flight is later that night. Your hotel checkout is 10am in the morning and you don’t want to spend your whole day hanging around the airport, or being worried about picking your luggage back up from your hotel’s minding service and then getting it to Incheon in the recommended hours before your scheduled flight departure… Annoyances!

Cue: YOU CAN NOW CHECK-IN FOR YOUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT FROM SEOUL STATION. 

That means you can check out of your hotel at 10am and get yourself along to the conveniently located Seoul Station (in the middle of Seoul) and get almost your entire airport check-in process done and out of the way- including your standard passenger check-in complete with checked luggage security clearance. Your luggage then gets transported (magically) to the airport and onto your flight. Then you’re all set to wander around Seoul for the rest of the day until it’s time to head to the airport and express your way through only your on-flight baggage security check. Yes, amazing!

This actually completely saved me on one of my trips. Of course the Dracula Press Conference ended up being held on the day of my departure. I was NOT going to miss that, even if it meant I had to miss my flight. Luckily someone told me about this check-in process and I went early in the day to get everything sorted out so that I didn’t have to worry about my bag or that extra hour or so that you need to leave for check-in and baggage check at the airpot. Given I ran out of Seoul Arts Centre, into a taxi, asked the ahjussi to please hurry and then made it to Incheon with about 20mins to return my wifi egg and get through on-board luggage checks before my flight was boarding…

So, it’s a really easy process.

The check-in service is offered at Seoul Station and City Airport, Logis & Travel, Korea (CALT), which is near Samseong Station. I only used the Seoul Station one though, so that’s what I’ll talk about!

1. First up you will then need to purchase a ticket for the AREX Express train (the idea being you will return to Seoul Station and take the express train to the airport). You will need to estimate your time and book a ticket for the appropriate train. Tickets are fairly cheap, with a discounted rate of 6,900 won with your airline ticket
2. Then you can head on over to the check-in desks. Some notes:
   1. You can co-ordinate seat assignment, mileage accumulation, baggage check… everything you can do at a normal airport check-in desk
   2. The service is available for all international passengers departing from Incheon Airport with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air ONLY
   3. The desks are open from 5:20am (!!!) to 7pm. Remember that you will need to check-in at the desk AT LEAST 3 hours ahead of departure
3. Then it’s over to the Departure Inspection before you say bye bye to your luggage (until you get home hopefully)
4. FREEDOM! You are then free to do whatever you want until your train departure
5. Upon your return simply board the AREX and enjoy the rapid 43min non-stop trip to the airport
6. At the airport you can now proceed straight through to the designated express entrance (the one also used for diplomats and flight attendants) on the 3rd floor of Incheon Airport.

BOOM! You’re off and away, with little stress and hassle and more Seoul-time. Which lets face it, is the best time ^.^

You can find out more information about the whole process over here at the KTO.